Michel Torres Corona, spokesperson for the state program Con Filo, referred to “beasts that insult and destroy” the Cubans who protested on Friday in Morón, Ciego de Ávila.
“The best response to the beasts that insult and destroy is culture. Today, like every week, we had Book Saturday, and the José Martí Publishing House presented the title ‘Renée Potts: almost nothing in memory’, a literary tribute to this writer and journalist made by her daughter Valentina Porras,” commented on Facebook Torres Corona, who is also the director of the state publishing house Nuevo Milenio.
"The Cuban Institute of the Book and its president, Juan Rodríguez Cabrera—of which I am a part—continue to be engaged in this trench of ideas, convinced that in such a critical moment for the nation, we cannot abandon our memory or our identity. As Martí said, being educated is the only way to be free, and those who attack and incite violence, driven by desperation or petty intentions, are the ones who drift away from that thought, that history, that essence," he added, referring to the protests of the previous night.
This Saturday, the ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel described the protest in Morón as “vandalism” and “violence” and warned the protesters that there would be no impunity.
"There will be no impunity for vandalism and violence," said the leader on X.
He also stated that the claims are legitimate as long as they are made with "civility."
"It is understandable the discomfort that prolonged blackouts cause in our people, as a consequence of the energy blockade by the U.S., which has cruelly intensified in recent months," wrote the leader, attributing the situation in Cuba to the U.S., as is common in the regime's propaganda.
"And the complaints and claims are legitimate, as long as they are expressed with civility and respect for public order. What will never be understandable, justifiable, or acceptable is the violence and vandalism that threaten public tranquility and the security of our institutions," he added.
The protests in Morón occurred amid blackouts that in some areas of the country exceed 20 hours a day, alongside a deep economic crisis characterized by food shortages, inflation, and the deterioration of basic services.
During the protests, there were confrontations in front of the municipal headquarters of the Party, where a fire was reported on the street and damage was caused to the building.
One of the most striking moments of the protest was captured in a video widely circulated on the internet, showing the moment when a young man was injured after a gunshot was heard while he was near the PCC building.
In the images, the boy falls to the ground and is helped by several protesters, who carry him and transport him on a motorbike to take him to a hospital.
Although various reports on social media claim that the young man was shot by a police officer—some even suggest that he could be a minor—official media have denied that shots were fired at protesters and maintain that the young man was injured in a fall.
The official narrative has also attempted to portray the events as isolated disturbances led by a small group of individuals manipulated from the outside, and state media reports that five people have been detained.
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